The invention relates to a process and a configuration for the automated conveying, sorting and loading of baggage items in facilities which have a baggage-conveying facility that conveys the baggage from a check-in region to a baggage area, from where it is transported for loading into transporting vehicles.
The automated conveying and sorting of baggage items has already been realized in facilities such as a large number of relatively large airports. Those facilities serve for transporting baggage items from various charging locations, for example a check-in region, specifically relating to flight number and travel class, to corresponding loading stations. In that case, the baggage items are manually reloaded into a suitable loading device, such as carts or containers, for transportation to the aircraft.
The transportation of the baggage items is carried out in that case by conveying equipment such as conveying belts, shell-type transporting systems (endless belt with transporting shells joined to one another) or guided vehicles.
Manual or automated baggage-data recognition in accordance with flight destination, airline and travel class takes place for sorting the baggage in such a system. The corresponding data is retained on data carriers, usually bar-coded paper strips, fastened on the respective baggage item.
Furthermore, the individual baggage items are spatially separated from one another within the conveying facility so as to ensure that the baggage item can be clearly tracked during transportation. In facilities with conveying belts, that takes place by ensuring a minimum distance between the baggage items, and otherwise by assigning the baggage item to a defined element, for example a shell or carriage, of the conveying equipment.
The destination of the baggage items in the facility is a loading station. In that case, they are assigned to certain flights, as well as connecting-flight destinations and/or travel classes as appropriate.
Within the automating system of the facility, the information regarding baggage items and the whereabouts thereof in the facility are combined with the destination and converted into control commands for the facility. The baggage items are transported to the corresponding loading station and discharged there.
The essential technical embodiments and processes brought in nowadays are set out comprehensively in publications entitled xe2x80x9cAirport Development Reference Manualxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cPassenger Services Conference Resolutions Manualxe2x80x9d from IATA.
However, all of the known processes and systems only concern the transportation and sorting of the baggage items. Loading takes place manually and does not form part of the automated transporting process.
Previous attempts to automate that process step as well have failed since it has not been possible to set out suitable solutions, in conjunction with the above-described handling process, for the wide range of baggage items which are to be handled.
The solutions which have already been realized in other industrial applications, for example loading packages onto pallets, cannot be adopted since the solutions developed there, for example robots with specific gripping tools, can only be used in each case for very limited ranges of shapes, structures and dimensions, etc.
A considerable disadvantage of the known configurations and processes is that the loading of the baggage items onto the transporting device for further transportation to the aircraft takes place manually. On one hand, that requires a large number of operators and thus high costs during the loading operation and, on the other hand, manual loading is very physically strenuous for those involved. Furthermore, the manual aspect means that there is a considerable risk of incorrect loading as well as theft.
A replacement of manual loading by an automated station, for example with robots or loading apparatuses, for maintaining the current processes and configurations for transporting and sorting, cannot be realized for practical usage due to the limitations in handling technology and the large range of baggage items which are to be handled.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a process and a configuration for the automated conveying, sorting and loading of baggage items, which overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known processes and configurations of this general type and which allow automation of the transporting, sorting and loading process.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a process for the automated conveying, sorting and loading of baggage items in airports having a baggage-conveying facility conveying the baggage from a check-in region to a baggage area, from where it is transported for loading into aircraft, which comprises in a first step, recording and registering data including flight destination, travel class, weight, shape, volume and consistency for each baggage item; in a second step, entering or analyzing the recorded baggage data into a computer system (packing computer) dividing the baggage items into predetermined classes and determining an optimum assignment to loading devices in accordance with classification and flight destination, as well as a corresponding loading scheme for the individual loading device; in a third step, bringing the baggage items to loading stations for loading in accordance with the assignment by feeding loading devices, in accordance with a loading sequence, to the individual loading stations with an automatic transporting system; and in a fourth step, substantially automatically loading the baggage items into the loading devices with robots and gripping tools and/or mechanical loading apparatuses, by transporting the baggage items classified in this way for loading, in a sequence necessary for the loading operation, according to the defined assignment to loading stations.
The essence of the invention is thus the novel configuration of the baggage-handling process for airports which have been equipped, or will be equipped, with an automated baggage-conveying facility. In this case, the sorting of the baggage items and the assignment thereof to the loading stations takes place not, as is the case currently, in accordance with flight destination and, if appropriate, travel class, but additionally in accordance with the baggage type or the handling equipment suitable for the specific baggage item.
On one hand, this makes it possible for only baggage of a certain classification to be fed to the loading stations automated according to the invention. On the other hand, however, this also means that the loading devices, such as containers and carts, which are assigned to a certain flight, and assume the task of transportation from the baggage facility to the respective aircraft, have to be loaded with baggage at various loading stations.
The process according to the invention for baggage handling and the developments thereof accordingly include the following steps:
1. Automated recording of the baggage properties, that is to say, in addition to the associated passenger, the flight destination and the travel class, as well as weight, shape, volume and consistency of the baggage item.
Transmission of the baggage data to part of the computer system (xe2x80x9cpacking computerxe2x80x9d), which divides the baggage items into predetermined classes. The computer system additionally performs:
2. Determination of optimum assignment to the loading device in accordance with classification and flight destination. The optimization takes place in this case both in relation to the highest possible packing density of the loading device and in relation to a loading sequence which treats the individual baggage items as carefully as possible. Thus, for example, heavy and hard parts are loaded first of all, while flexible and lightweight parts are then stacked thereon.
3. Assignment of the baggage items and of the loading device to certain loading stations, in accordance with the baggage classification and the packing and/or stacking planning according to Step 2 and in accordance with the flight destination. In this case, the baggage items assigned to a loading station may have various flight destinations, but always belong to a certain baggage class. The assignment takes place in a further part of the computer system (xe2x80x9csorting computerxe2x80x9d), which also assumes the task of transferring data to the automating system of the baggage-conveying facility.
4. Sorting and transporting the baggage items to the respective loading stations.
5. Transporting the loading devices to the respective loading stations and loading the baggage items within the loading stations assigned to them. Automated, semi-automated or manual loading stations may be used for this purpose, depending on the baggage class.
In accordance with another mode of the invention, it is particularly important in this case that the recording of the volume and of the contour of the baggage items and of the consistency takes place automatically without anyone being involved.
In accordance with a further mode of the invention, the data relating to destination of the baggage item and the properties thereof such as weight, volume, shape and consistency are advantageously recorded and stored during check-in of the relevant passenger. The recorded data are stored directly in the computer of the baggage-conveying facility or on data carriers which are provided on the baggage items and, during passage through the loading path, are automatically detected by optical or electronic reader units provided for this purpose, in order to control the loading operation.
In accordance with an added mode of the invention, the loading operation of the baggage items is monitored with the aid of optical image-recognition systems through the use of which the respective position of the baggage items is detected and corrected, if required, with the aid of mechanical tools, for example gripping tools. The respective position of the baggage items is indicated by the image-recognition system if required, in particular with the occurrence of disruptions, and, with the aid of three-dimensional visualization, the use of the mechanical tools, for example gripping tools, is controlled by an operator in order to eliminate the disruptions indicated.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a configuration for the automated conveying, sorting and loading of baggage items, in an airport including a check-in region, a baggage area and a baggage-conveying facility conveying baggage from the check-in region to the baggage area to be transported for loading into aircraft. The baggage-conveying facility has at least one supply station, at least one collecting station, at least one loading station, a conveying device and a control device. The configuration comprises a computer system connected to the baggage-conveying facility for controlling movement of the conveying device and the control device, and a device disposed in the vicinity of the supply station. The device records data including automatically determined characteristic variables of supplied baggage items, such as weight, shape, volume and consistency, as well as flight destination and travel class. The device makes the data available to the computer, and the device controls transportation of the baggage items to an associated loading station in accordance with the respective data.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, there are provided automated loading tools, for example robots and/or gripping tools.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, there is provided an automated transporting apparatus for the transfer of the loading devices to the loading stations.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a process and a configuration for the automated conveying, sorting and loading of baggage items, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.